May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. (2 Corinthians 8:8-12)

In Christ's name and to his glory, dear friends: We pick our theme of the last few weeks - Work while it is Day. Several weeks ago we watched as Jacob saw that wonderful vision of the Lord standing at top of the stairway to heaven. It reminded us that the Lord of grace has opened up the way to heaven to us sinners and that grace calls us, moves us, to be involved in the Lord's work here. Then a week later we heard Jesus speak that wonderful parable of the Vine and the Branches. As the blessed branches connected to Jesus the Vine we have life and strength to bear fruit. The best and most lasting fruit we can bear is to be involved in leading others to Jesus. If you want a review of those messages or if you missed one of those Sundays, do pick up an audiotape copy or a written copy of these others messages of Work while it is Day. These are on the table in the back of church.

Today we continue the thought taking up this facet of our being involved in Christ's work - our offerings. What kind of giving brings joy to the heart of God as well as to the heart of the giver? Taking the Apostle Paul's own words and applying them to us we have as our central thought: ABOUT YOUR OFFERINGS...THIS IS MY ADVICE TO YOU. God bless us!

An Examination.  Imagine how the people in Corinth might have first reacted when they heard the Apostle Paul say: I want to test the sincerity of your love, and when they heard that he was sending Pastor Titus to them to do the testing. Do you think they maybe felt the way we might feel if we got an official looking letter from the IRS? Maybe some were defensive. Maybe some felt like the Apostle had no business looking into their financial affairs. Maybe some thought that all the Apostle wanted was money, money, money. Of course, if they had such feelings or worries, they would soon be proved wrong.

This was not a threatening move by the Apostle Paul. He did not want to force money out of the people or to make them defensive or cause feeling of guilt. On the contrary, he wanted to help, to give to the people, to make them feel joy not guilt. Months earlier when the Apostle launched the aid-for-the-famine-stricken-Christians-in-Jerusalem-offering the Corinthians were so happy to be included in the work and planned to give with joy. But then troubles popped up - a tough discipline problem involving a member of the church, squabbles over how they worshipped, and some false teachers who were taking people's attention off of Jesus and putting it on their acts of Christian love. While the Corinthians were putting out these fires they lost their joyful fire for the offering. Paul just wanted to get them back on track. It's as if he is saying, "Remember how happy you were back then when we first talked about giving? Well, lets forget about the problems for a few minutes and think about getting back to what made you so joyful and eager. I want to test the sincerity of your love. I want to show you that that love for the Lord is still there. You've just gotten sidetracked. Let's rediscover it." That's hardly threatening, is it?

Positive and helpful - that's the same spirit in which we bring up your offerings. God speaks to us through his word today and says: about your offerings...I want to test the sincerity of your love. Now hearts have not changed over the years, and we too can become defensive. Hey, that's my business; stay out of it. Or we might think: great! Here comes a load of guilt. Believe me, we pastors go to our Lord in anxious prayer over stewardship asking the Lord for the wisdom to say what is right and true and helpful. Your leaders are not IRS agents looking for wrong. We are not the offerings-police. We are ambassadors of Christ. And his timeless word says, Watch out. It's so easy to be sidetracked from what is important. Remember how I warned about this in the Parable of the Seed--the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. (Matthew 13) And so we have an annual examination. Do we have work that needs to be done in our church, in our synod family? Yes! Does God want me involved? Yes! Does that mean supporting the work with offerings? Yes! Might I need the reminder because I have not put my heart into it?

And as Christians over the ages have, we today welcome the reminder. For we desire to rid ourselves of what is wrong and sinful in our lives and to seek forgiveness in Christ and find renewed strength to live for him. And this is why the Lord examines us today - to renew us again. And that he does with the tried and true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The glorious Gospel.  I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich (v.8,9). The Lord gives us the joy of giving. It's part of his grace to us. We are all beggarly poor before God's scrutinizing eye. I'm not talking of financial poverty but a spiritual poverty. We dig a deeper and deeper hole with every sin in which we fail to do the things God commands us to be doing. Then too, we pile up our offensives, the things we do that God tells us not to do. Our obligations before God's throne is a number like the national debt; it defies our understanding. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

But the Lord has applied his rich grace and mercy to our poverty and has erased it. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to trade places with us before God's judgment throne. Jesus became poor; he willingly gave up the use of his divine power and glory and took on human flesh. He lived and died for us here. Now the perfect obedience of Jesus has filled in the massive void of our sins. His suffering at Calvary has paid for our mounting pile of offenses. Now, before God's throne we have the rich status of saints, pure, holy, fit for heaven. This is what is before us at all times, even when we think of offerings. It is not just anybody who asks me to give; it is Jesus my Savior, that beautiful Savior who gives me heaven. He's the one who asks me to get involved. That compels me. He guides me too. He says invest in the great spiritual things that last for eternity just like I invested my life in your spiritual welfare. Don't be afraid to sacrifice. I did for you. And with that glorious Gospel before and after our examination there follows the proper God-inspired actions.

The appropriate action.  And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have (vv. 10-12). Complete the offering. Get back on track. How much should they give? Look at what God has given you, your resources, and set aside a portion of it. God is not interested in dollars and cents but in the portion and the heart that brings it. In this way each person can honor God with proper offerings whether he has much or little.

The same tried and true advice is for us. The joy in giving is to give in answer to your Savior's call. Your Savior asks you today to examine your gifts, to act on the impulse he awakens in your heart, and to give in proportion to what he has given you. Can we turn a deaf ear to his call? May it never be! Next week as we wrap up our weeks of Work while it is Day we will ask you to personally examine your offerings and fill out a plan of giving. May the Lord bless us in all that we do, to his glory.   Amen.